The interior can switch between being a single-seater or having enough room for two people.

Audi debuts a concept car at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance for the first time ever this year, and it's a fascinating machine that blends elements of a race car, hot hatch, and even a little bit of a sport bike. Internally, the designers give the vehicle the nickname “Level Zero” because, despite having a lot of tech, the driver is in complete control and there's absolutely no semi-autonomous equipment on-board.

In front, the PB18 looks like a sports coupe, in fact, it wouldn't take much convincing to make someone believe this is the R8 of the future because of the massive trapezoidal grille with similarly large inlets on each side. However, viewing the PB18 from the profile and rear reveals that the vehicle is actually a three-door hatchback. The swept-back windshield leads to a flat roof and a pointed rear end. LED taillights span the entire hatch.

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The PB18 uses a trio of electric motors – one powering the front axle with 201 horsepower (150 kilowatts) and the other pair separately propelling each rear wheel with a total of 604 hp (450 kW). During normal driving, the concept has a total of 671 hp (500 kW) and 612 pound-feet (830 Newton-meters) of torque is available to the driver, but a temporary boost to 764 hp (570 kW) is possible. Audi estimates this is output is enough to reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just over 2 seconds.

Audi imagines using a futuristic solid-state battery with a 95-kilowatt-hour capacity, which would allow for an estimated range of over 310.7 miles (500 kilometers) in the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure. An 800-volt charging system would top up the battery in just 15 minutes. Wireless induction charging would also be possible. To maximize efficiency, the electric motors generally handle the braking to regenerate power, and the traditional discs and rotors only come into play during hard stops.

Inside, the PB18 reminds us a little some motorcycles because the cabin can convert between single passenger and two-person layout, similar to removing the cover on the rear of the seat to allow for a passenger on a bike. When only one person is in the car, the driver sits in the center of the cockpit for a full view out of the expansive windshield. The glass incorporates an augmented reality system to display info about the road ahead, including the ideal racing line at a track. However, when a second person is riding in the vehicle, the driver seat and instruments can slide over to provide room for a passenger. The hatchback layout also maximizes cargo room by allowing 16.6 cubic feet (470 liters) of storage, giving it a little less storage space than a VW Golf's 17.4 cubic feet (492 liters).

The PB18 would be quite a sharp handling machine, too. The front suspension uses a push-rod setup, and there are pull rods at the rear. Both ends would have magnetic adaptive shocks, too. An active rear diffuser and wing would adjust to increase downforce, too.

Unfortunately, the PB18 is only concept, and all of these high-tech features aren't likely to see the road anytime soon. If you want an electric Audi, the upcoming E-Tron SUV is the Four Rings' first serious effort to enter the EV segment but more are on the way.

Gallery: Audi PB 18 e-tron

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World premiere at Pebble Beach –the Audi PB18 e-tron concept car High-performance sports car with electric drive Design and technical concept car As a monoposto on the racetrackIngolstadt/Monterey, August 23, 2018 – For the first time, Audi is presenting a design andtechnical concept car at Pebble Beach Automotive Week in Monterey, California. The allelectricAudi PB18 e-tron presents a radical vision for the high-performance sports car oftomorrow. Broad and flat, visibly inspired by the wind tunnel and the race track, its verypresence signals that it is destined to push boundaries. Its concept and exciting lines werecreated in the new Audi design studio in Malibu, California – where the brand’s design isconsistently being updated for the future. The technical concept of the PB18 e-tron hasbenefitted from Audi's many years of winning the Le Mans racing series. The experts at AudiSport GmbH, the high-performance subsidiary of Audi, were responsible for implementation.The abbreviated name “PB18 e-tron” refers both to the Pebble Beach venue for the premiereand to the technological DNA it shares with the successful LMP1 racing car Audi R18 e-tron.Consistently focused concepts for useAt first sight, the Audi PB18 e-tron shows its kinship with another spectacular concept car fromthe brand – the Audi Aicon from 2017. This holds true not only for characteristic designelements like the side windows that angle inwards and the extremely extended wheel arches.The two concept cars from 2017 and 2018 also share their electric drive with solid-state batteryas energy storage.But their respective, consistently focused concepts for use make them polar opposites. Whilethe Aicon was designed as a fully automated, long-distance luxury vehicle –a business jet for the road – the creators of the PB18 e-tron designed it as a radical drivingmachine for the racetrack and road. Dynamics and emotion top its list of specifications.Parameters like propulsive power, lateral acceleration and perfect ergonomics determine eachdetail. And driver-orientation is in a completely new dimension.

The internal working title at Audi for the showcar project was “Level Zero” – as an explicit way todifferentiate it from the Levels 3, 4 and 5 of autonomous driving currently in focus at Audi. Inthe Audi PB18 e-tron, the driver is the one steering and stepping on the gas or brake pedal.There are therefore no complex systems for piloted driving on board and no comfort features toadd weight. In their place are a driver’s seat and cockpit that are integrated into an innermonocoque shell that can be slid laterally. When driven solo, the monocoque can be positionedin the center of the interior as in a monoposto – the perfect location for the racetrack. This ismade possible not least by the by-wire design of the steering and pedals; a mechanicalconnection of the control elements is not needed.Gael Buzyn is Head of the Audi Design Loft in Malibu – where the Audi PB18 e-tron was born.He describes the most important item in the specifications: “We want to offer the driver anexperience that is otherwise available only in a racing car like the Audi R18. That’s why wedeveloped the interior around the ideal driver’s position in the center. Nevertheless, our aim wasto also give the PB18 e-tron a high degree of everyday usability, not just for the driver, but alsofor a potential passenger.”When the driver’s monocoque is slid into the side position, from where the PB18 e-tron can besteered in everyday driving like a conventional road vehicle, there is room for a passenger. Anadditional seat can be accessed on the other side, integrated low above the ground andequipped with a three-point seatbelt. The driver also benefits when getting in and out from theeasily accessible outside position of the monocoque, which can be moved when the door is openup to the sill.Inspiration drawn from motorsportThe Audi PB18 e-tron package follows the traditional architecture of a mid-engine sports carwith a cab that is positioned far forward. The car’s center of gravity is located behind the seatsand in front of the rear axle – which benefits the driving dynamics. This does not involve theengine-transmission unit, as in a car with a conventional drive system, but rather the batterypack.A mix of aluminum, carbon and multi-material composites ensures the body of the Audi PB18e-tron has a low basic weight. Not least thanks to the innovative and comparatively light solidstatebattery, a total weig

The PB18 e-tron is 4.53 meters long, 2 meters wide and just 1.15 meters tall (14.5 x 6.4 x4.6 ft). These dimensions alone speak of a classical sports car. The wheelbase is 2.70 meters(8.9 ft) and the overhangs are compact. Viewed from the side, the eye is drawn to the gentlysloping roof line which is pulled far to the back and features massive C-pillars. Together with thelarge and almost vertical rear window, this design is reminiscent of a shooting brake concept –the synthesis of a coupé with the rear of a station wagon. The result is not only a distinctivesilhouette but also, with 470 liters (16.6 cubic ft), a clear bonus in terms of cargo space –usually a deficit in sports cars. An exclusive luggage set customized to fit the cargo space helpsto make optimum use of the luggage compartment – even if the luggage in this car frequentlyconsists of nothing but a helmet and racing overall.A flat red band of lights extends across the entire width of the rear and underscores thehorizontal orientation of the vehicle body. The cabin, placed on the broad shoulders of the wheelarches, appears almost dainty from the rear. The rear diffuser air outlet has been raised high –another functional feature borrowed from motorsport. The diffuser can be moved downwardmechanically to increase downforce. The rear spoiler, which normally is fixed, can be extendedrearward for the same purpose.The widely extended wheel arches located opposite the central cabin are noticeable from everyangle. They emphasize the extremely wide track of the PB18 e-tron and thereby illustrate thelateral dynamic potential of the car and the obligatory quattro drive. The large 22-inch wheels,each with eight asymmetrically designed spokes are reminiscent of turbine inlets – together withthe air inlets and outlets of the wheel arches, their rotation ensures excellent air supply to thelarge carbon brake discs.The front is dominated by the familiar hexagon shape of the Singleframe grille, with anemphatically wide and horizontal cut. The brand logo is placed above at the front of the hood, inthe typical Audi sports car style. Large air inlets to the left and right of the Singleframe supplythe necessary cooling air to the brakes and the front electric motor. Wide and flat light unitswith integrated digital matrix technology and laser high-beam headlights complete the face ofthe PB18 e-tron.The laser high-beam headlight with its enormous range is especially emblematic of the transferof know-how from motorsport: This technology made its debut in the Le Mans R18 racing car,where the maximum light output at speeds above 300 km/h offered a crucial safety advantageat night as well.The Audi designers have taken a new tack for air flow through the front hood. The hood dipsdeeply and acts as a lateral bridge running across the nose, connecting the two emphaticallyaccentuated fenders and also doubling as an air deflector. A design that is thoroughly familiarfrom racing prototypes.

At the same time, this layout offers the driver a unique quality of visibility, and not just on therace track. Looking through the large windshield from the low seating position, the driver seesprecisely into the opening of the ventilated hood and onto the road, and can thus perfectlytarget the course and apex of the curve. Mounted within the field of vision is a transparent OLEDsurface. The ideal line of the next curve can be shown on it, for example, precisely controlledwith data from navigation and vehicle electronics. In normal road traffic, on the other hand, thedirection arrows and other symbols from the navigation system find a perfect place here in thedriver’s field of vision, analogous to a head-up display.The large-format cockpit itself is designed as a freely programmable unit and can be switchedbetween various layouts for the racetrack or the road, depending on the scenario for use.Emotion without emissions: three electric motors and quattro driveThe concept uses three powerful electric motors – one up front and two in the rear. The latterare centrally located between the steering knuckles, each directly driving one wheel via halfshafts.They deliver power output of up to 150 kW to the front axle and 450 kW to the rear – theAudi PB18 e-tron is a true quattro, of course. Maximum output is 500 kW, with boosting, thedriver can temporarily mobilize up to 570 kW. The combined torque of up to 830 newton meters(612.2 lb-ft) allows acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in scarcely more than2 seconds – a speed that differs only marginally from that of a current LMP1 prototype.In normal road traffic, the driver can limit the maximum speed in favor of range. This limitationis easy to deactivate on the racetrack and can be adapted to local conditions.The focus is on not just powerful performance but also maximum efficiency. While being driven,the Audi PB18 e-tron recovers large amounts of energy: up to moderate braking, the electricmotors are solely responsible for decelerating the vehicle. The hydraulic brakes only come intoplay for heavy braking.The concept of separate electric motors on the rear axle offers major advantages when it comesto sporty handling. The Torque Control Manager, which works together with the ElectronicStabilization Control (ESC), actively distributes the power to the wheels of the front and rearaxles as needed. This torque control provides for maximum dynamics and stability. Thanks tothe virtually instantaneous response of the electric motors, the control actions are lightningquick.The drive concept of the Audi PB18 e-tron adapts perfectly to every situation, whetherinvolving transverse or longitudinal dynamics.

The liquid-cooled solid-state battery has an energy capacity of 95 kWh. A full charge provides fora range of over 500 kilometers (310.7 miles) in the WLTP cycle. The Audi PB18 e-tron is alreadydesigned for charging with a voltage of 800 volts. This means the battery can be fully rechargedin about 15 minutes.The Audi PB18 e-tron can also be charged cordlessly via induction with Audi Wireless Charging(AWC). This is done by placing a charging pad with integral coil on the floor where the car is tobe parked, and connecting it to the power supply. The alternating magnetic field induces analternating voltage in the secondary coil fitted in the floor of the car, across the air gap.High-tech from the LMP1 sport: the suspensionThe front and rear have independent suspension on lower and upper transverse control arms,and, as commonly found in motor racing, a push-rod system on the front axle and pull-rodsystem on the rear – in both cases with adaptive magnetic ride shock absorbers. The suspensionof the Audi R18 e-tron quattro Le Mans racing car served as the model for the basic architecture.The wheels measure 22 inches in diameter and are fitted with 275/35 tires in the front and315/30 in the back. Large carbon brake discs with a 19-inch diameter, in conjunction with theelectric brake, safely and steadily decelerate the Audi PB18 e-tron even in tough racetrackconditions.The path to volume production – electric mobility at AudiAudi has been developing vehicles with all-electric or hybrid drive since back in the late 1980s.The first production offering of a car combining a combustion engine with an electric motor wasthe Audi duo from 1997, which occupied the body of an A4 Avant. A landmark technologicaldevelopment for electric cars was the R8 e-tron, which was unveiled at the 2009 FrankfurtMotor Show and in 2012 set a record lap time for an electric car on the North Loop of theNürburgring.Audi added a first plug-in hybrid to its range in 2014 in the guise of the 150 kW (204 hp)A3 e-tron – its battery units can be recharged by recuperation and cable, and give it an allelectricrange of up to 50 kilometers in the NEDC. The Q7 e-tron made its debut in 2016: It ispowered by a 3.0 TDI engine combined with an electric motor, with a combined 275 kW (373hp) and 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of torque. It accelerates from a standing start to 100 km/h(62.1 mph) in 6.2 seconds and is particularly efficient. In all-electric mode, it has a range of upto 56 kilometers (34.8 miles) while producing zero local emissions. It is also the world’s firstplug-in hybrid with a V6 compression ignition engine and quattro drive.

Another concept car unveiled by Audi in 2015 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, was the e-tronquattro concept – the forerunner of the brand’s first all-electric-drive production automobile.As a radically reconfigured SUV it offers a range of more than 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) inthe WLTP cycle with the spaciousness and comfort of a typical full-size automobile from Audi.The production version of this groundbreaking e-SUV, named Audi e-tron, will debut inSeptember 2018.Roadtrip, circuit or piloted city-mobile – a new mobility serviceAudi has meanwhile been building a new family of visionary automobiles since 2017 as a previewfor the next decade – electrically powered and precisely focused on their respective usescenarios. Cars currently in the market are always conceived as a versatile synthesis betweenhighly conflicting requirement profiles – in practice, this often means compromises must bemade. In contrast, the current concept cars will occupy a new, consistent position in anincreasingly diversified market. The Audi Aicon long-distance luxury vehicle started things off atthe IAA 2017; the PB18 e-tron is now marking another milestone. Additional vehicle concepts,such as those for example for urban traffic, are already being developed and will make theirpublic debut in the coming months.As part of a premium sharing pool with highly individual models, they will all sharpen the profileof the Audi brand even further in the future – as custom-tailored products and services for highlydemanding customers who want to combine mobility, emotion and experience in every situationof their lives. These customers can then decide whether they only want to use the vehicle of theirchoice temporarily and exchange it for another when needed, or if they would rather purchase itpermanently, as today.– End –